The Associated Press

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Five years after Tony Stewart raised the bar for rookies, six young drivers head into the 2004 season ready to leave their mark on NASCAR.

One of the deepest rookie classes ever will compete in the Nextel Cup series this season, all seated inside top-notch equipment fielded by elite teams.

Brendan Gaughan, Kasey Kahne, Scott Riggs, Johnny Sauter, Brian Vickers and Scott Wimmer will be trying to one-up their predecessors and all could challenge for victories as early as the season-opening Daytona 500.

"I think it's possible for any of them to win a race, it just really depends on the team and equipment that's behind them," four-time series champion Jeff Gordon said. "They're all very talented drivers."

The rookie assault started in 1999 with Stewart, who set a NASCAR record by winning three races his first season. Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Matt Kenseth followed with a spirited duel the next season.

Kevin Harvick won twice in 2001 and Jimmie Johnson and Ryan Newman combined for five victories in 2002.

The new rookie class is headlined by the 20-year-old Vickers, one of Gordon's teammates at Hendrick Motorsports.

Vickers, who last season became the youngest Busch Series champion in NASCAR history, will be in the No. 25 Chevrolet.

He ran five Cup races in that car last season, qualifying fourth or better in four of them.

"There are a lot of great candidates for the rookie title, a lot of people I've raced with in the past in the Busch Series and Late Models," Vickers said. "We're going to go out there and do our best and get as much experience as possible."

The 28-year-old Wimmer and 33-year-old Riggs are the veterans of the rookie class, each coming off two seasons in the Busch series.

Riggs spent several years coming up through the ranks before a three-year stint in the Truck Series. He was the top rookie in the Busch Series in 2002 and almost won the championship last season. He led the points going into the last two races, but wrecked in both of them.

He talked to several Cup teams - and toyed with returning to the Busch Series - before settling on the No. 10 Chevrolet with MBV/MB2 Motorsports.

Wimmer will drive for Bill Davis Racing in the No. 22 Dodge - a car that won the Daytona 500 two years ago with Ward Burton behind the wheel.

Kahne, 23, steps into a competitive ride with Evernham Motorsports, taking over the car veteran Bill Elliott drove the past three seasons.

Sauter and Gaughan are the most aggressive of the bunch, and both will be in stout equipment.

Sauter, 25, will be a teammate to outspoken drivers Kevin Harvick and Robby Gordon. Toss in Sauter, who has shown he's not afraid to back down from anyone, and car owner Richard Childress could have his hands full.

Gaughan, who led the Truck series with six wins last season, will drive the No. 77 Dodge.